What kind of legacy do you want to leave? Here in the United States, Father’s Day is almost here. And at this time of year, there is always a lot of talk about the kind of legacy a father should leave for his children.

But I believe the subject of legacy should apply to more than fathers. That’s because we all leave some kind of legacy – whether we are trying to or not.

What is a legacy? Something you leave behind. That includes possessions that we pass on to the next generation. But it’s so much more than things. We are all capable of leaving either a positive or negative legacy, based on the people we have influenced and the principles that we have lived and taught.

Do you ever think “What kind of a legacy am I leaving for my children, my church, my job and yes even my life and death?

We just finished our last seminar, “The Five Levels of Leadership.” It was a great class, several people felt like it was the best one so far.

Leadership is a funny thing, it seems like everyone see’s it in a different light. It is so important that we always remember that, LEADERSHIP IS INFLUENCE, nothing more and nothing less.

Everyone has influence in some area, a father, a mother, a school teacher, a business man or even a regular everyday employee. EVERYONE has influence.

What is important is how you use the influence that God has given you. Influence means that you lead people in some direction. What direction are you leading the people you have influence with. Are you leading them to be better and to do more with their life, or are you taking them down some path that will not help them in any way?

Along with influence comes responsibility. You will be held accountable for where you lead the people you influence. Make sure you are leading them to become better then they were when you left them!!!!

There is a law in Leadership that says, “To do a high jump you need one person who can jump seven feet, not seven people who can jump one foot.”

Many tasks will never be achieved by throwing more people at the task. Jobs many times require talent not more people. EXCELLENCE IS IMPOSSIBLE WITHOUT TALENT. Teams don’t win games with talent and without all of the team working together for one goal and one purpose. Talent that is fulfilled brings the greatest happiness that a person can know.

To develop talent it takes a lot of practice and a lot of hard work. However practice will not get you where you want to be unless it is the right practice. You can practice wrong and never will you gain talent.

There is a saying that says, “There are never two consecutive days in the life of a leader.” That may be true but I believe that even the days that are not perfect are better than any days you had before you knew what your purpose in life was. When a man or woman begins to walk in their purpose, that are able to meet challenges head on and most of the time they don’t seen that bad.

when a person faces the giants in their life and begin to have some victory in their life it gives them the added drive and desire they need to go ahead and be an overcomer. That’s what life is all about, “becoming an overcomer, not a victim but an overcomer.”

Create a GROWTH culture around you and then you will :

1. Recognize Potential

2. Attract Potential

3. Develop Potential

4. Empower Potential

When you do these things, you grow and so does everyone around you. GET GROWING AND KEEP GROWING.

I just heard some news that set me back somewhat. Dr. Miles Monroe and his wife Ruth were both killed in a plane crash while trying to land at the Grand Bahama Airport. He and his wife and seven others were on the way to Freeport to hold a leadership conference.

Dr. Monroe is a great man of God and a great speaker and Pastor. He is also an author and has written many books on leadership and purpose.

I have followed Dr. Monroe’s ministry and have heard him speak many times. I know he will be missed by all who knew him. He is with Jesus and what better place could he be. His ministry was built around purpose and leadership, I pray that his death will inspire others to follow in his footsteps.

We just finished our leadership seminar last month and are looking at another date in January. This seminar is called “How to put your DREAM TO THE TEST.”

Leadership is a large part of the answer to the problems we are facing in the world today. How leaders lead, and what leaders know is very important. It is on thing to be able to lead but it is altogether more important to lead in the right direction with the right motives and knowledge, you really can make a difference in your sphere of influence.

This seminar, “HOW TO PUT YOUR DREAM TO THE TEST.” Will answer the questions you have about, is my dream really possible and is it really MY DREAM or is it something someone else has put on me that is not really my own,

this seminar will help you define your dream and the chance that it can come to fruition in your life. Start planning for this seminar, we are looking at a date of JANUARY 17, 2015. Would love to see you at this great seminar.

How important is TRUST for a leader? It is the Solid Ground on which Leadership is built. Without the TRUST of your followers, they will not follow you. And if no one is following you, you are just out for a walk.
People do not always have to agree with you but they must trust that what you are telling them, you really do believe and that you live what you teach. Is it a reality in your own personal life, if not TRUST is broken and you have no followers. And if you have no followers you have no influence and if you have no influence with people you will never accomplish your dreams and goals.

Above all make sure you live your life so that those who God sends into your life to influence can TRUST you.

When we talk about leadership and we want to know how to lead. It is very important to realize that we must be able to “bring something to the table” If we are going to lead people we need to be able to offer them something they now possess. that means we need to be able to help them become better in some area of there lives.

Not only must we encourage them but also give them some tools that will help them move ahead in their lives. How can we make them better people. If the people are not growing and moving forward in their lives, they have just wasted their time and energy.

So it is very important for us to grow ourselves so they we will be able to grow others. I ask parents all the time, ‘how are you leading your children?’ They will not do what you say, they will only do what you do. It is the same with the people you are trying to lead, they will become what you are not what you want.

Have you ever thought of yourself as an influencer or someone who has been given influence over other people? Whether you realize it or not you are an INFLUENCER!!

If you are a housewife you have influence over your children, if you are a husband you have influence over your wife and your children. If you are a married woman you have a great deal of influence over your husband. you have all heard the saying, “behind every successful man is a great woman helping.” This statement is so true, we all help others reach higher levels of achievement than we can ever do on our own.

An influencer ENLARGES people. The best way to enlarge people is to take steps to enlarge YOURSELF. As you enlarge yourself you will not be able to stop enlarging others around you. As you grow everything around you grows. As your influence grows the influence of others will grow around you. EVERYTHING GETS BETTER.

Make sure your influence is POSITIVE and not NEGATIVE. We all have influence the big question is what kind of influence do I have? YOU MAKE THE CHOICE.

Dwight D. Eisenhower said, “In order to be a leader a man must have followers, And to have followers, a man must have their confidence. Hence the supreme quality for a leader is unquestionably integrity. Without it, no real success is possible, no matter whether it is on a sections gang, a football field, in an army, or in an office. If a man’s associates find him guilty of phoniness, if they find that he lacks forthright integrity, he will fail. His teachings and actions must square up with each other. The first great need, therefore is INTEGRITY AND HIGH PURPOSE.”

One of the reasons our America is in such trouble is our leaders have no sense of purpose or the INTEGRITY to follow through with the vision and purpose that they do have.

INTEGRITY AND TRUST is the glue that holds people and companies, countries together. without these two traits nothing permanent can be accomplished. When asked what the most important trait is required for leadership the number one answer is INTEGRITY. that is the most important need in our culture today.